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Updated: People Identified in Pine Co. Shooting

Posted at: 12/06/2012 8:44 AM
Updated at: 12/06/2012 7:26 PM

A woman remains in a Duluth hospital after authorities say she was shot by her ex-husband. The Pine County Sheriff’s Office says the man, Daniel Shilts, 55, shot himself after threatening suicide for two hours.

Authorities say it started about 9:15 Wednesday night when they received a 911 call about a shooting at 29243 Sunny Hill Rd in rural Pine County.

The caller said she had received a text message from a woman at the home which said she had been shot by her ex-husband and that he was still in the house.

The victim has been identified as Dawn Christen, who is 55. She is listed in serious condition at Essentia Health St. Mary's Duluth.

The investigation up to this point shows that Shilts forced entry into the home, before Christen arrived home. He confronted her, and then allegedly shot her in the chest. She fled to a bathroom, and sent a text message to a neighbor.

The Sheriff's office said that when they arrived they tried to contact Christen by phone and text, but got no response.

The Sheriff said a Shilts came out of the house and stood on the deck, but then ignored deputies' commands to leave and went back inside and all the lights in the house were turned off.

Authorities found a vehicle nearby that belonged to the Shilts, who had been involved in previous domestic calls.

Pine County SWAT Team members went into the house and found Christen with a gunshot wound to her upper chest. She was taken away by ambulance.

The Sheriff's office says the Shilts was cornered in the living room by officers and that he held a pistol to his head and threatened suicide.

Authorities say they tried to get Shilts to surrender for over two hours. A press release says the he was pronounced dead at the scene by a self inflicted gunshot wound.

The incident is being investigated by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.